AY SHOW is perhaps the most popular comedy presentation in Nigeria’s blooming entertainment Industry. In its Television tableau, there is this segment called, CELEBRITY HIT OF THE WEEK. Usually, the Comedians fabricate stuff and make rib crackers with some superstar as the butt of the joke. Nollywood Acts like Jim Iyke, John Okafor, Tonto Dike, Segun Arinze, even former President Olusegun Obasanjo have taken the hits at various times.
The jokes may have a tint of truth or reality, but they are grossly over exerggerated to elicit the most comic effect. Thus making them creative but fictional.
Interestingly, either the comics have made a daring intrusion into the media sector, or have got copycats within. This is more so, with the upcoming 2015 General Elections in view. Some aspirants have hired, those, for lack of precise classification, I elect to address as, INTELLECTUAL THUGS, to contrive some tales to smear, blackmail, ridicule their perceived or real opponents, and ultimately incite the unsuspecting people against them. To these people all foul things and measures become fair, and all fair etiquettes become foul.
Akin to the celebrity hit on AY SHOW, we now have the GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRANT HIT.
I have frowned against the uncivil resort to vandalizing posters, flex, campaign bill boards and materials of some Governorship aspirants, and with the same vehemence, I draw attention of our people to condemn this new evil.
So, what is it?
Many woke up to see a mendacious online report, titled, “31 INDUSTRIES: AKPABIO ATTRIBUTES FAILURE TO NSIMA EKERE, purported to be written by Anietie Ekong, Special Assistant on Media to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, based in Abuja. Before this rider, was a more funny Headline, which reads, “Essien Inyang , Thompson Essien, Ubong Sampson, Edidiong Udobia, David Augustine ors vindicated -Ata Ikideh.” All names above are some of the best hands in journalism in Akwa Ibom, and the masterminds of this premeditated diatribe, corralled them in, I am sure, without their knowledge or consent. The jist of the story is that,
His Excellency, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, had blamed his erstwhile Deputy, His Excellency, Obong Nsima Ekere for the so called failure of delivering on the promise of building 31 industries at one per local Government in his second term. The baseless report adds that, Governor Akpabio almost wept before Ikot Abasi Stakeholders who visited with him at Abuja, while making the complaint. Akpabio, the story says, regretted that, Nsima Ekere’s resignation to go and face his private business stalled the industrialization drive, since he was the brain behind the blue print in the first instance.
The cock and bull story goes ahead to cite names of innocent persons, such as, Barr. Jerry Akpan, Hon. Ubong Ekefre, Hon Chelly Okoko and Mr Inemesit Ina as persons who said this or that, in relation to the alleged event.
When I came across this thrash talk and dialled the former Transition Committee chairman of Mkpat Enin, Hon. Ubong Ekefre, he laughed out loud. They had done it to him before, and he was not amused this time, that, such a false and doctored report, is clandestinely posted online and published by some tabloids. He charged me to dismiss them as he would not join issues or dignify such lies with a response. The Press Secretary of the former Deputy Governor, Comrade Ina, pretty much reacted the same way. He is well aware the season of blackmail is here and scorned the shameful effort of some lazy traducers.
Truth be told, those who generated and concocted this tale had a game plan. The goal was/is to hit Akpabio and Ekere where it will hurt them and strain their rosy relationship. The other intent is to ridicule Governor Akpabio in the estimation of the public as a lame duck, who is not in charge of his administration. Who errs by buck passing and not accepting responsibility. A man who has not kept his campaign promise and above all, a man who nurses a wicked plot against Nsima Ekere and his governorship ambition, to truncate same. But, we all know, Akpabio is well above such elementary miscalculations. That the Industrialization agenda is well on course with the recent inauguration of the Uquo Gas Plant at Esit Eket and Ground Breaking for the PetroChemical Plant at Ibeno by President Goodluck Jonathan and others in the pipeline.
Then on the reverse angle, those who crafted this ‘film trick’, erroneously assume, it will hurt Nsima Ekere’s soaring public rating. They believe it will have the effect of finally unsettling him and causing him to refrain from his principled path of politics of ideas without bitterness to join their dirty and brutal dog fight. They failed. It is not in Ekere’s character to do so. Since he left Government on personal grounds, he has maintained his dignity, decorum and decency and has not lashed out at, or, talked down on anybody. Ekere has never hit out against any real or imagined adversary and will not do so now. Not even with this blatant and twisted tissues of lie, spewed as Breaking News.
If they do not know, then they should be made to know that, Ekere enjoys a very profound and healthy relationship with his former boss. Nothing else the conspirators do will ever change that.
Ekere has won the hearts and admiration of many by remaining supportive of the Government he was an integral part of, to enable her succeed the more in mankin the State a better place. Ekere continues to co-operate with Governor Akpabio to move the state forward, and maintain peace, unity and stability . No grudges, no mutiny. That’s what a statesman does and we all should learn from this.
The ambition of anyman come 2015, should not be allowed to unravel the soft underbelly nor ignite the faultlines of the State, they either seek to govern or represent at any level. That remains my viewpoint.
There are two fitting ways to end this piece. First, I am impressed that, the alleged source of that impious propaganda, Anietie Ekong, has since come out with a disclaimer and I shall take leave to generously recite his rejoinder as follows:
“MY attention has been dràwn to the news story titled “31 Industries: Akpabio attributes failure to Nsima Ekere,” purportedly written by me and published in several internet fora and yahoogroups about a fictitious meeting the Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio held with supposed stakeholders from Ikot Abasi Federal constituency, in which the Governor is quoted to have made far-reaching pronouncements.
It is reassuring that many people who have called me in connection with this story have instantly dismissed it as a complete fabrication which could not have been authored by me nor the words attributed to the Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio could have been said by him. Further investigations to the source of this piece of misinformation have placed it squarely as the handiwork of some desperate politicians whose ambition have not received the blessing of Akwa Ibom people. Furthermore, I wish to state as follows:
1. That the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Chief Godswill Akpabio had never held any meeting with the so-called stakeholders from Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency in the Governor’s Lodge, Abuja as alleged in the said report. Nor did he make the statements attributed to him.
2. It follows therefore that the phantom meeting exists only in the imagination of the persons who fabricated this story.
3. As is customary, Press Releases including pictures of events involving the Governor are always issued and personally signed by me. It is curious that in this case the authors have not even stated the date when this ghost meeting was held.
4. We understand that this is a season of politicking and as the primaries draw closer, some politicians who rely on propaganda to further their inordinate ambition have become very desperate and have resorted to lies and blackmail to achieve their aspiration. This story should be situated within this context.
5. It is instructive that the Governor, His Excellency, Chief Godswill Akpabio who is serving out his second term is not an aspirant to the office of the Governor in 2015 and therefore should not be made the issue in this campaign of hate and calumny.
6. We are however aware of the threat by a certain desperate politician who has vowed to bring down the administration of Chief Godswill Akpabio through all manners of fabrication through text messages and the media if the Governor does not endorse his ambition and wish to advice him to desist from devious act of infamy.
7. For the umpteenth time, i wish to state with all emphasis that I can muster that the story is a fabrication from the pit of hell and should be totally ignored.
Anietie S. Ekong
Special Assitant on Media to the
Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
Abuja”
The second is this story about three kids who set a rather odd competition for themselves in CREATIVE LYING.
The said three boys, found a missing Alsatian puppy and were arguing on who among them should take the dog.
At last, they agreed that, each of them should tell a LIE and whoever tells the most outrageous and unbelievable lie would take the dog. After several rounds of lying, they couldn’t reach a consensus on whose LIE is the most discreditable.
Then a brawl ensued to settle the dispute of who takes the dog. Just then, a Priest came along and intervened to halt the fight. “What’s the matter?” The Priest asked. One of the boys took time out of reverence for the cleric to narrate the competition for the dog, and how none of them have accepted each others LIE as the winner. Suddenly, the Priests countenance changed to shock. “That’s a sinful craving which should be unheard of among you. Lying is a sin before God and that is why Ananias and Saphira died in the scripture.
You boys should be like me”, the Priest retorted, “SINCE I WAS BORN, I HAVE NEVER LIED.” The reaction of the boys was both involuntary and unanimous. They looked at each other in utter disbelief. Stepped aside and had a tete-a-tete while the Priest looked on hoping he had converted them with his brief homily. Then, one of the boys walked back to the Priest and in a subdued voice said, “Reverend Father in the Lord, we just unanimously agreed you have won the competition. YOU JUST TOLD THE MOST INCREDIBLE LIE WE EVER HEARD. YOU MUST BE THE SON OF THE DEVIL WHO IS THE FATHER OF ALL LIES, WHO WILL BE SHOCKED BY YOUR CLAIM. TAKE THE DOG HOME”
Folks, those behind this Akpabio/Ekere story are ripe for the AWARD OF THE DOG. I recommend, they join Nollywood and they would excel and win Awards for Creative Fiction. in this 2015 race, they are misplacing a rare gift.
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